1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printing and facsimile apparatuses provided with a plurality of cassettes or trays for printing paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 3-270560 (1991) a prior art apparatus in which in connection with output of reception images, when printout on the basis of image signals received in a certain communication is shifted to printout on the basis of image signals received in the following communication, means for supplying paper is changed over in order to discriminate between the two receptions of image signals. For this purpose may be employed the following methods.
A first paper supplying section and a second paper supplying section each accommodate different types of printing paper which types are distinguished from each other. That is, after completion of recording of images received in the certain communication, when recording of images received in the following communication starts, or when printing of a first page in the following communication starts, the paper supplying section is switched so as to record the first page of the following communication on printing paper which is distinguishable from the printing paper which has been used for the certain communication. Thus, a separation between received images in the certain communication and the following communication is indicated.
In such a case, the separation is clarified when a change of printing paper is executed between a first page and the following pages of each communication, or between the respective communications. Distinction between types of printing paper is made on the basis of color, size, thickness or the like thereof.
In the prior art, the separation is clarified by changing the type, in other word, the feature of printing paper between the first page and the following pages. With regard to changing the feature of printing paper, if paper size is varied, document filing which will be carried out later is complicated, whereas, if paper color is varied, costs of printing paper increase though the filing problem is eliminated.
It is an object of the invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and to clarify a separation between printed documents, and in printing apparatus and communication apparatus such as facsimile apparatus or the like equipped with a printer section, having a plurality of printing paper cassettes or trays, the invention is intended to improve user-operability of an operation of inserting separating paper between plural documents outputted from the printing apparatus or the printer section so as to facilitate sorting of the plural documents such as printed documents of images sent from plural transmission parties, copies, and lists.
In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a printing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of printing paper cassettes or trays for accommodating printing paper on which an output image is to be printed,
the printing apparatus further comprising:
designating means, operated by an operator, for designating one of the plurality of printing paper cassettes or trays as a special cassette or tray dedicated to accommodating separating paper,
wherein the special cassette or tray is controlled so that the separating paper is not used as printing paper for printing the output image.
According to the invention, in connection with the control of inserting the paper having a different feature from that of the paper for printing, one of the plurality of printing paper cassettes or trays is fixedly used as the special cassette or tray dedicated to the separating paper, in other words, the one printing paper cassette or tray is prohibited to be used for supplying usual printing paper. Accordingly, even when the special cassette or tray accommodates colored paper, the colored paper is used exclusively for separating paper, so that wasteful use of the colored paper is avoided. Furthermore, since no image is printed on the colored paper, the colored paper may be reused, resulting in cost reduction.
In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a printing apparatus comprising:
a plurality of printing paper cassettes or trays for accommodating printing paper on which an output image is to be printed, each printing paper cassette or tray for accommodating printing paper different in length and/or width,
the printing apparatus further comprising:
selecting means for automatically selecting a cassette or tray accommodating printing paper different in length and/or width from printing paper having been used for printing the output image,
wherein the selected cassette or tray is controlled so that the paper accommodated therein is discharged as separating paper.
According to the second aspect of the invention, when the apparatus is provided with means for discriminating a feature of paper, the control may be executed to fixedly use a cassette or tray which accommodates paper having a different feature, as the cassette or tray for supplying the separating paper.
In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus comprising:
a plurality of printing paper cassettes and trays for accommodating printing paper on which an output image is to be printed,
the facsimile apparatus further comprising:
designating means operated by an operator, for designating one of the plurality of printing paper cassettes or trays as a special cassette or tray for accommodating separating paper,
wherein the special cassette or tray is controlled so that after completion of reception of data, communication information is printed on the separating paper therein and the separating. paper is not used as printing paper for printing the output image.
Many of facsimile apparatuses have a function of reporting a communication result. According to the third aspect of the invention, such a communication result may be printed on the separating paper accommodated in the special cassette or tray designated by the above-mentioned means. Thus the separating paper is also used for printing the communication result report, with the result of reducing paper costs.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus comprising:
a plurality of printing paper cassettes or trays for accommodating printing paper on which an output image is to be printed, each printing paper cassette or tray for accommodating printing paper different in length and/or width,
the facsimile apparatus further comprising:
selecting means for automatically selecting a cassette or tray accommodating printing paper different in length and/or width from printing paper having been used for printing the output image,
wherein the selected cassette or tray is controlled so that after completion of reception of data, communication information is printed on the printing paper therein and the communication-information-printed printing paper is discharged as separating paper.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the same as in the third aspect, since the communication-information-printed printing paper serves also as separating paper, reduction of paper costs is achieved.
In the invention it is preferable that the cassette or tray automatically selected by the selecting means accommodates longer and/or wider printing paper than any other printing paper for printing output image, and the communication information is printed at a portion of the separating paper which portion is extended off one end of any other printing paper, when the one end of any other printing paper is trued up with one end of the separating papering paper.
According to the invention, in particular, when the separating paper is longer than any other printing paper in the discharge direction thereof, the difference portion (a portion extended off one end of any other printing paper) generated by truing up the rear ends of the separating paper and printing paper is used to record the information of communication result, with the result that contents of the communication, as well as the separating paper can be readily taken out by truing up the rear ends.